Windshield wiper arm and blade



Aug. 3, 1954 w. rin-BELL WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM AND BLADE Filed Oct. 14. 1950 Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNITED STATES 2,685,101 WINDSHIELD WIPER ARM AND BLADE William R. Bell, Skokie, Ill.,

assignor to Stewart- Warner Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a. corporation of Virginia Application October 14, 1950,

Serial No. 190,077

Claims. (Cl. 15-250) A further object is to provide extremely simple, rugged and from the following description of an illustrative embodiment taken in connection with the draw- Fig. 1 is an elevational View of an illustrative wiper blade and arm, the hub portion of the arm being shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the wiper assembly;

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional elevational view of the wiper arm and blade on a somewhat large scale showing particularly the means for linking the blade and the arm;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional View of the arm and blade taken on the line t--t of Fig. 3 and illustrating the means for linking the arm and the blade; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional plan view of the mea-ns linking the wiper arm and blade taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

The windshield wiper assembly shown in Figs. 1 and 2 includes a wiper blade lo connected with A narrow elongated squeegee 24 is slidably pothe channel-shaped frame 2 0.

of the squeegee and the frame web in order to facilitate sliding the squeegee in and out of the frame.

a pair of reinforcing ridges extending longitudinally along the sides of the squeegee below the The ridges S act as stops to limit the amount of exing or nop-over of the squeegee at the grooves 34. The it between the metal frame 20 and the squeegee 24 is loose enough so that the squeegee may readily be removed from the frame by sliding the squeegee longitudinally out bar from the remainder of the supporting arm l2.

As best shown in Fig. 3, the extreme outer end of the bar Ml has the form of a downwardly conveX hook or loop 44 which is connected with the straight portion of the bar 4e by'a short inclined section t6.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the hook G4 is narrower than the remainder of the bar 30 to form a pair of abutment shoulders 48 where the hook intersects the inclined portion 46 of the bar. The hook 44 has a generally arcuate or semieircular shape, as shown in Fig. 3.

As best shown in Fig. 5, the top web of the channel-shaped metal frame 20 holding the squeegee 24 has a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures or slots 50 for receiving the semicircular hook 44. The slots are located midway between the ends of the metal frame and are spaced apart a distance corresponding generally with the diameter of the circular hook 44. It will be noted that the transverse or lateral dimension of the apertures is substantially less than the width of the frame '20.

A sheetpinetal '-guard.52 partly-fenclosesithe circular hook L.44. Thezguard is generally channel shaped and has a top portion 54 positioned slight- 1y above the upwardly directed outer end 55 of the hook 44. The top of theguardis .recessed to provide an outer edge 58 positioned `a short distance inwardly from the rextrenie-outerend 5S of the hook. As best shownzinrFigs andai, the guard 52 has a pair of substantially flat, generally parallel side skirts 5D .which .extend downwardly below the hook "44 to embrace snugly the channel-shaped metal frame 2316i --the wiper blade IB. The sides Si) terminate approximatelyatthelevelfof the `bracketslzat thelower edges ofthe metalzframe .28. .It willbeappreciatedthat theface 1to .faceengagement of the flat guard skirts Si) Vwiththe .generally ...parallel sides-of .thesqueegeeframe .f2.8 support the lframe against .turning.movementabout its-axis without restricting rocking movement ofthe framaabout the hookAli .tofollow thesurface being wiped Also, theflat,-.parallel relationshipof the frame sides vto `the support Askirts .55] facilitates sliding movement of the framefzll into-.andeutet .assembledy relationship .to theguard .52.

Theguardz is'joinedwiththe .bar 40 bymeans of astem., portion .E4 extending .inwardly from-the top tofthe guard,.the stem beingA olset upwardly from the top of the guard. The stem B4 ofthe guard is alsoI channelv shaped,.andits.top portion is secured to-the outer end.of thestraightportion ofthe-.bar-Ml, -just insidefthe inclined .portion d5, by means of -.a single -rivet `ii.

best shown .irLFig .4.. the stemdhas a,pair of .downwardly .extending :sides ..68 which rare crimped vvinwardly 'around .the lower side of .the bar vAll.

As .shown .in `l?igs..1.and. 2: theinnenend Aci the bar 4B .isv secured :to .the underside. of `the :top of a sheet metal r channel Rl-l) byea pair .of rivets .1-2. The channel 1G. is tapered outwardly in-.both-.width and height.

.The hub vIii ispivoted between the. sides of the channel 'ii near itsinner .end by. means of.a rivet 14. rLhe rivet 1-4 extendsthroughthe .upper outer corner ofthe-.hub i 6, which is generally rectangular in shape.

The extreme inner end 1E oftheibanifistbent downwardlyinside .the channel i aand. isperforated toreceive one .end of a coil spring-.'lfenapplying pressure between-the .squeegee ..24 Vand the surface to be wiped. .The otherend of the coil Vspringfis hooked througha-perforated lug S0 at the outer lower-corner i the hub A6. .Consequently the spring `18 tends to rotate the arm l2 downward or counterclockwise with respectto the hub l5. Thisrelative rotationofthearm l2..and the hub I6 is limited by engagement of a stop 82, projecting fromthehub near the rivet 14, with the-inner edge-84 of the top-of the. channel 1.0, the inner edge being recessed .outwardly to provide. clearance-.for the top of the-hub l5.

.The-hub I6 hasv a generally vertical opening. 86 for receiving a windshieldwiper shaft, not shown.

-fAsbestshown in Fig. 3, the upper-edge of the squeegeefil has a .transverse notch. positioned midwaybetween theends of the squeegeetorreceiving. thelowermostportion of thehook 44. AEn- Ll. U

.'.frame .20 tof the gagement of the notch 88 with the hook 44 prevents removal of the squeegee from the metal frame 20 when the blade il) is in position on the arm l2.

The wiper blade Il) may be removed from the supporting arm l2 by rotating the blade clockwise as seen in Figs. 1 and 3. The hook 44 is thereby `disengaged fromthetslotsfifas the outer end 56 ofthe hook passes rstthroughethe outer slot and then through the inner slot. Because .the outer edge 58 of the top of the guard 52 is re- .cessed inwardly from the outer end 56 of the hook,there'is no interference between the metal blade. and the guard.

`-lll'hentlieiblade l0 is removed from the arm l2, thefsqueegee-may be slipped out of the metal framelll and replaced if desired. The squeegee and the frame are dimensioned to provide clearance ftherebetween to facilitate removal of the squeegee. The blade may be replaced on the arm I2 by inserting the outer end .5t of the `hook F44 downwardly `through the inner .slot :.56 V.and lthen upwardly through the outer Slot. .The-.bladefl-ds symmetrical so that it maybe reversed with. respect to the. arm at will.

When the blade l is in place on the arm L2, and the hub IE is .mounted-on a windshield .wiper shaft, the arm I2 exertspressure onthe bladel through the shoulders-48, WhiClrengngexthe upper surface of the metal-frame,2.0ofethedoladev The blade .is free to turn along the .hook .IA throughout aconsiderable angle inorder. to maintain the blade in alignment'with the surface .,-to be wiped, and the shoulders:-48.remainin contact with .the blade as it turns.

The guard. .52 .which embracesthemetal frame 20 of the blade serves as a-guide.to Ahold-the .blade L0 -.vertical and inits .predetermined angular relationship with .the `arm t2, .without excessive wobbling. Since removal of the'blade.from..the arm requires rotating .the blade .throughnearly 90,the blade is positively retained onzthe-arm during operation of the .windshield wiper. Nevertheless :the lblade is easily removable.

Because of the simple .and sturdyconstruction ofthe means for linking theblade .with the-arm, the arm and.blade assembly is extremely economical. Further economies in use resultirom the fact that the squeegee may be replaced.with out replacing themetal frame oftheblade. Only the squeegee is subject to .appreciable @wear .in service, and replacement-of the :arm and blade should never 'be necessary :sincethey '-'are practically indestructible.

While'I have shown anddescribed arpreferre'd embodiment of my invention, it will beiapparent that numerous variations :and modifications thereof maybe made vwithout:'departing'- fromthe ruiderlying'principles of the invention. 'therefore desirejby the vfollowing claims, to include Within the scope of the invention all such variations and modiiications vby which substantially the results of my invention may lbe Aobtained through the use of substantially -the'same or equivalent means.

I claim:

1. In a 'windshield wiper, a :rigid elongated channel-shaped downwardly 4opening squeegee frame 'having a `pair of longitudinally 'aspaeejd apertures extending .throughits top vvebannrrn for .carrying .the squeegee frame,l means fondetachably connecting'theframe tothe armt-including .afdownwardlyrconvex arcuate hookextending .downwardly from .th-e arm .through one of vthe lapertures.andthen upwardly through the other, the hook including a portion having an increased transverse dimension to provide a shoulder immediately above the rst mentioned aperture for transmitting downward forces from the arm to the frame, and a generally channelshaped guard secured to the arm and snugly embracing the frame to maintain alignment between the frame and the arm, to prevent angular movement of the frame from the plane of said arcuate hook, and to prevent rotational movement of the frame about its longitudinal axis.

2. In a windshield wiper, a rigid elongated channel-shaped downwardly opening squeegee cluding a downwardly convex arcuate hook extending downwardly from the arm through one of the apertures and then upwardly through the other, the hook including a portion having an intachably connected together, for preventing angular movement of the frame from the plane of said arcuate hook, and for preventing rotational movement of the frame about its longitudinal axis.

3. A separable wiper assembly comprising, in combination, a channel-shaped squeegee frame open along one longitudinal side, a resilient squeegee slidably supported in said frame and forming a wiping edge extending beyond said open side thereof, a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures said apertures in facing relation thereto, a support arm, the forward end of said arm being turned toward said frame and fashioned to form abutment means engageable with said frame to transmit wiping forces thereto and a retaining hook rigid with said arm insertable through one of said apertures into said squeegee notch, said hook being curved to protrude outwardly through the other of said apertures, and guard means rigid with said arm to dene a'pair of side skirts having snug slidable engagement with opposite sides of said frame.

4. A separable wiper assembly comprising, in combination; an elongated channel frame including two substantially flat, generally parallel, longitudinal sides turned inwardly at the lower edges thereof to form squeegee retaining flanges; a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures dened in the side of said channel opposite from said flanges, means rigid with said arm forming a hook insertable through one of said apertures to extend into said channel and out through the other of said apertures, means rigid with said arm defining an abutment at the base of said hook for engaging said frame to apply wiping pressure thereto, and means rigid with said arm dening a pair of substantially ilat side skirts snugly engaging opposite sides of said frame to transmit lateral forces thereto.

5. A Windshield wiper assembly comprising, in combination, a channel-shaped squeegee frame open along one longitudinal side thereof, a resilient squeegee slidably supported within said frame and dening a wiping edge extending beyond said open side thereof, a pair of longitudinally spaced apertures formed in the side of said frame opposite from said wiping edge and having a transverse dimension somewhat less than the width of said frame, said squeegee defining an open notch normally disposed in underlying relation to said apertures in facing relation thereto, a support arm turned toward said frame and sharply necked down to define a pair of abutment shoulders and a narrowed hook extending from said shoulders through one of said frame apertures into said squeegee notch, whereby wiping References Cited in the le of this patent Number UNITED STATES PATENTS 

